Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
If you are a serious commercial or stud farmer who bases your farming enterprise on scientific principles and the latest technology, then be sure to be at Aldam in the Free State from 9 to 11 October when the Livestock Registering Federation will be hosting its 16th annual LRF Stockman School!
The theme of the three-day event is ‘Being a resilient stockman’ and attendees can look forward to a jampacked programme with topics covering everything from weather patterns, animal health, soil health and strategic feeding to breeding objectives. Keep an eye on the press and social media for more information regarding the speakers and programme.
The following speakers will share their expertise with attendees:
Prof Frikkie Neser
Prof Neser is the author and co-author of more than 480 scientific and popular scientific publications in national and international journals as well as scientific congress presentations. He has received the David Uys trophy for the best article published in the South African Journal of Animal Science in 1996, 2015 and 2017. In 1999, he was awarded a medal from the South African Society of Animal Science for an outstanding research project. Four of his students received the same medal. In 2017, he received an award from the South African Society for Animal Science for the article most cited in the period 2011-2016. In 2010, he was the Free State agriculturist of the year and in 2019 he received an award for lifetime service rendered to the livestock industry in South Africa from the Independent Livestock Registering Authorities.
Prof Neser successfully gave study guidance to 25 Masters and 11 Doctoral degree students and is currently professor in Animal Breeding and head of the department Animal Science at the Free State University. Internationally he is involved in a Wool and Mohair improvement project in Lesotho as well as local projects to empower emerging farmers.
Prof Theo Venter
Prof Theo Venter is professor of practice at the University of Johannesburg and was previously attached to the NWU Business School until his retirement in December 2020. He was special advisor to two vice-chancellors of the North-West University (2004-2016). He has been a political commentator on South African politics, especially on radio and TV, since 1987. He has been recognised by the NWU as one of the most quoted members of the university staff in the media. In 2015 he was nominated as Agriculturalist of the Year by the Agricultural Writers’ Association.
Early in 2023 he completed a fifth project with Theo Vorster on scenarios and business decisions for KYKNET. He writes a monthly opinion column for Farmers Weekly and he holds two master’s degrees in political science, one of which was obtained in the USA as a Fulbright scholar. He is the current chair of the North-West Expert Panel on developing the NW Growth and Development Strategy, and serves as member of council of the NWU.
Dr Douglas Bruce
Dr Douglas Bruce is a Zimbabwean veterinarian trained at Onderstepoort, the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science. He has experience in clinical practice, large-scale intensive pig, ostrich and crocodile production, and the animal health industry. His main objective is to improve the efficiency of local producers and make them internationally competitive.
Dr Schabort Froneman
Dr Schabort Froneman is a veterinary graduate from the University of Pretoria’s veterinary faculty at Onderstepoort in 2014. After completing his studies, he launched his veterinary career in a mixed animal practice in Clocolan in the Free State. In 2015 he started his own herd health practice in Bethlehem, focussing mainly on bovine health and production. From 2018 to 2019 he expanded into feedlot production medicine, where he provided consultation services to both beef and sheep feedlots for S & E Consulting.
At the end of 2019 he was appointed as the technical manager responsible for extensive beef and feedlot production at Zoetis South Africa, a leading animal health company in the veterinary and agricultural industry. He strives to promote bovine health and production through knowledge, research, and education.
Dr Johnny van der Merwe
Dr Johnny van der Merwe completed his pre-graduate degree at the University of the Free State, followed by his honours and master’s degrees in Agricultural Economics. He obtained his PhD in Agricultural Economics at North-West University in 2015 and is currently focussing his research on the competitiveness, sustainability, and development of the South African agricultural industry. He is also the managing director of AMT (Pty) Ltd and Agri Optimum (Pty) Ltd.
The purpose of AMT’s services is to enhance production, management and marketing efficiency within agriculture through apt and well‐prepared market trend analysis. Agri-Optimum developed a unique platform for hosting a wide range of cash crop, vegetable, livestock and perennial pasture enterprise budgets. The budgets are based on the application of generally accepted scientific and commercial production practices. He is committed to having a positive impact on the agricultural industry and economy of South Africa.
Dr Frikkie Maré
Dr Frikkie Maré matriculated from Hoërskool Hopetown in 2004, after which he studied at the University of the Free State (UFS) and obtained the following degrees: BSc in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics, BSc Honours in Agricultural Economics, MSc in Agricultural Economics, and PhD in Agricultural Economics. In 2009, he was appointed as a research assistant in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the UFS, which kicked off his professional career. He was subsequently promoted to junior lecturer (2010), lecturer (2015), senior lecturer (2019), and associate professor (2021). He also served as the head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, a position he held since 2018.
During his career at UFS, Dr Maré supervised ten Master’s students and three Doctoral students. He has published 30 scientific articles, delivered 16 papers at international scientific conferences, and published around 400 articles in popular agricultural magazines. He was responsible for a weekly agricultural segment on OFM and a weekly agricultural market report for Plaas TV. He also served as the editor of Veeplaas for a period of three years. In September 2023, he was named Agriculturalist of the Year for the Free State by the Agricultural Writers Association of South Africa. In February 2024, he took up the position of chief executive officer of the national Red Meat Producers Organisation.
Andries Wiese
Andries is a born and bred Blue Bull who studied education at the University of Pretoria and business studies at the Stellenbosch University Business School.
After his studies he joined the insurance industry. He is a seasoned insurer with 33 years’ experience, and has worked in various parts of the country, from Nelspruit to Upington. His experience in the agricultural sector stands him in good stead in his current position as national business development manager for Hollard Insure and previously as head of Agri.
He serves on various bodies including the SAIA Agricultural Committee and the National Veld and Forest Fire working group. In his personal and professional capacity he has written various articles, does public speaking, regularly appears both on radio and television, and is well-known within the broader agricultural sector.
Making complex insurance principles and issues understandable and palatable whilst retaining his trademark sense of humour makes Andries a popular trainer, public speaker, and host.
If you are interested in attending the 2024 LRF Stockman School, be sure to register now as seating is limited and time is running out! See the complete programme for more information:
Register now to ensure your seat. For more information, visit www.stockmanschool.co.za or contact Charmaine Alberts at 082 922 3747.
